Joan Wilder, a shy New York City romance novelist, receives a mysterious map in the mail following her brother-in-law's murder. The map is said to lead to a priceless gemstone hidden in Colombia. Shortly after, she learns that her sister Elaine has been kidnapped in Colombia, and the kidnappers demand the map as ransom. Determined to save her sister, Joan heads to Colombia, setting off a chain of events that catapult her from her comfort zone into a treacherous, real-life adventure.

Upon her arrival in Colombia, Joan's journey quickly goes awry when she gets lost in the jungle and is ambushed by bandits. In a twist of fate, she crosses paths with Jack T. Colton, a cynical, rough-around-the-edges bird smuggler who reluctantly agrees to help her navigate the jungle and find the treasure in exchange for financial gain. Together, they embark on a perilous trek through the dense Colombian rainforest, dodging both natural dangers and the relentless pursuit of the kidnappers and local criminals desiring the map for themselves. Their journey becomes a test of survival and wits, forcing Joan to find the courage and resourcefulness she's written about in her novels but never believed she possessed.